Drawing wizard wins Doodle 4 Google - again

Monica Kreber/Journal Scene
John Christopher Wright stands with his eco-friendly drawing of the Google logo, which won best in state for Google’s annual Doodle 4 Google contest.

Two years ago John Christopher Wright participated in a Google drawing contest. “Doodle 4 Google” involved asking students across the nation to draw Google‘s iconic logo with a special theme.

That year Wright’s image had a jazz theme – and he was the state winner.

Now he has done it again.

Wright’s newest Google drawing could potentially go on the Google homepage for hundreds of millions of people to see. On April 29 Google representatives from New York travelled to Rollings Middle School, where Wright is a sixth grader, to make a special presentation about the winner of this year’s Doodle 4 Google for South Carolina.

The news came as a big surprise to Wright, who was sitting among his fellow classmates in the school auditorium when he was announced the winner and asked to come to the stage. A high-resolution rendering of his drawing was unveiled for the student body to see.

This is the contest’s seventh year running, and this year’s Doodle 4 Google asked students between kindergarten and 12th grade to redesign the company’s logo inspired by the theme “If I could invent one thing to make a world a better place…”

Wright’s doodle, entitled “The J Nation Recycling Machine,” depicted an invention that not only recycles, but turns trash into flowers. The drawing was selected from over 100,000 participants.

Wright said he was excited to be named the winner and hopes his drawing inspires others to make the world a better place by cleaning up trash. He added that he likes to draw as a way to express himself, and hopes to one day become either a shoe designer or an architect.

Wright’s mom Leonis Wright said her son has been drawing since he was 3.

“Drawing is his passion,” she said. “It’s wonderful he can showcase his work this way.”

His dad John Wright, Sr. said it’s “amazing” that his son has won this national contest twice.

“He gets better and better every year,” he said.

To help Wright succeed on the national level, people can vote for his doodle online. Voting will be open until May 9 at www.google.com/doodle4google/vote.html and the public vote will determine the five national finalists (one in each grade group).

Google will announce these five national finalists and one of them as the winner on May 21 at an awards ceremony at its headquarters in Mountain View, Cali.

The winning student will work with Google’s team of professional doodlers to animate their doodle. The animated doodle will be displayed on the Google homepage on June 9. The winner will also take home a $30,000 college scholarship and his/her school will receive a $50,000 Google for Education grant towards the establishment and improvement of a computer lab or technology program.

Despite his nerves about going to California, Wright said it feels good to win.

“Thank you for inspiring me to draw, and please vote,” he said.

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